Euro 2024 has been difficult so far for England boss Gareth Southgate and the Three Lions manager has now been accused of ‘completely wasting’ the talents of Trent Alexander-Arnold in his side’s opening two matches.
The Liverpool man started both of the Three Lions opening games in Germany and has been criticised for his performances. However, England’s midfield has plenty of issues and Southgate is expected to make several changes ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Slovenia.
England need to match or better Denmark’s result against Serbia in order to top the group and travel to Cologne in ‘high spirits’ according to senior members of the squad. One former Three Lions favourite believes Southgate’s decisions have often left him baffled given the sheer amount of talent available.
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“Trent Alexander-Arnold is playing as part of a midfield two, and I don’t understand why Gareth Southgate has made that decision,” Chris Waddle told Genting Casino. “There are no runners, so his greatest strength – his passing range – in that midfield role is completely wasted.
“He’s playing it simple because he has to – all these England players in front of him, except for Saka sometimes, want the ball to feet. Trent’s a wonderful player, but his best attribute is being wasted in this midfield role for England.
“If we’re going to play Trent in midfield, then Southgate needs to get more runners into his team. We need a player with the mindset to think ‘When Trent’s on the ball, I’m going to run behind my full-back because he’ll find me.”
Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton are both yet to receive a minute of action at the tournament, with it suggested one of the pair could play alongside Declan Rice in midfield. With over 30,000+ fans expected to roar their team on Tuesday, excitement is already beginning to build ahead on what could be a pivotal evening.
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